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Category Archives: bloat

Anyone who has seen the movie “Beethoven” will remember the scene where the dog is sitting in the middle of his owner’s bed with a long string of drool hanging from his mouth. As he shakes his head, drool flies everywhere. It was funny in the movie and some dogs drool naturally, but excessive drooling can indicate a more serious problem.

I had a dog who would get a drink of water, walk over to sit beside me and then slobber excess water down my leg. It wasn’t so bad during the winter months with a pair of jeans on, but in the summer when I wore shorts, it really gave me a start when I wasn’t expecting it. She was a breed of dog that drooled naturally and, like in the movie Beethoven, anytime she shook her head, we’d run for cover. That dog would send drool flying everywhere! The cats weren’t even spared from a flying string of dog drool and ran away from her just as fast as we did. I learned to leave towels in easy to find places throughout the house – just in case.

Some breeds have lips that are heavier than others. Bloodhounds, Mastiffs, Boxers and Saint Bernards, along with other breeds, are known for their drooling. These types of dogs drool because the loose skin around their jaw catches saliva where it collects and fills up until there’s no room for more. Slobbering and drooling is just part of who they are, but even for them, excess drooling can indicate there’s something wrong. Excessive drooling can cause a dog to become dehydrated.

Breeds who normally don’t drool may have times when they become over stimulated, which can cause excess saliva to build up. It’s nothing to worry about unless the dog suddenly begins to drool with no clear reason. A medical problem may be why.

Dogs drool when they have something caught in their mouth, on their tongue, in their throat or between their teeth. Our canine friends use their mouths to help them determine what things are, and an inquisitive dog can pick up small objects that can become stuck somewhere in their mouth. A bad tooth or gum disease will also cause your dog to slobber. One sure sign of dental or gum problems is a dog with extremely bad breath. A bone that splintered or became caught in the dog’s throat or a splinter from chewing on wood can get stuck on the roof of their mouth, under the tongue or caught between their teeth. If you see your dog pawing at his mouth and drooling, something is bothering him.

Digestive problems will cause dogs to drool. Bloat is a dangerous condition that needs to be taken care of immediately. A hard stomach, foaming at the mouth along with drool and attempts to vomit are symptoms of bloat. For more information on bloat, read What is Bloat? What Are the Symptoms?

Heat stroke, epilepsy and other medical conditions are more reasons why dogs drool. Nausea from riding in a car or an upset stomach from eating something that didn’t agree with him will cause a dog to drool. Overeating, eating too much spicy food or mixing different kinds of food together can cause a stomach ache in some dogs.

A reaction to flea control products, bee stings, poison and allergic reactions to food or medications will produce excess saliva. Pain-induced drooling from conditions like urinary tract infections and ear infections, liver disease and tumors in their mouth are a few reasons why your dog could be suddenly drooling. A dog who picks up stinging insects and spiders will sometimes bite them on the tongue or side of the mouth causing them to drool.

Toads, snails and slugs will cause a dog to drool if they grab one. Every summer during the evening hours we comb through the grass in my dog’s pen trying to find toads and slugs before my dogs do. Most toads aren’t poisonous to dogs, but they have enough toxin to make them drool if a dog picks one up or tries to bite it. In some parts of the country, there are a few toads that are deadly to dogs and cats.

Some dogs drool naturally, and from experience I know that even with them, you know when they have excessive drooling. Any time a dog drools more than usual or suddenly begins, it’s an indication something is wrong. Never put off seeing your vet, because your dog’s life could depend on your fast action. When caught early, most medical conditions can be taken care of and some of them are nothing to mess around with.

The personal opinions and/or use of trade, corporate or brand names, is for information and convenience only. Such use does not constitute an endorsement by CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods of any product or service. Opinions are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods.

Quite a few of my articles are anecdotal, and this one is as well. I had never owned a dog that got bloat until a few months ago, when my AmStaff Skye had her own bout of it. Bloat is known by several names: torsion, Gastric dilation-volvulus (or GDV) and simply bloat. Deep-chested dogs are more susceptible to bloat, but any dog could theoretically get it.

Some of the factors that have been shown to contribute to bloat are: eating only one meal per day, exercising immediately after a meal, eating their food too fast, drinking lots of water right after a meal, gulping their food too quickly or eating from elevated bowls. Bloat can even be brought on by a stressful event for your dog, or if they have a temperament that is fearful. Even a dog’s age can be a factor.

What happens is that a dog’s stomach becomes distended with fluid and/or gas, and the stomach turns out of its normal position. The blood circulation to the stomach becomes impaired by the distention, and return of blood to the heart can be compromised by a compression of the larger vessels. If returning blood to the heart is compromised in this manner, further damage to several of the dog’s organs can occur, which can become a life threatening issue very quickly.

When Skye had her issue with bloat, I noticed that her abdomen began to swell like a balloon. She was trying to cough up something (like a cat with a hairball) and had no success. She also kept gulping water, as if that would help the situation. The color of her gums, tongue and ears became very pale. She was lethargic and started drooling, which she never does. She also became restless, began pacing and could not find a comfortable place. In short, I could tell she was miserable. Some of the other symptoms an owner may observe are rapid heartbeat, depression, weakness, difficulty or rapid breathing, and the dog may collapse.

What Skye had done was get into the cat litter box and help herself to some “kitty hors d’oeuvres.” I use a wheat-based cat litter and after she ate it, it began to ferment in her stomach. Of course, it happened on a Saturday night and we don’t have an emergency clinic in our town, though the vet would have met me at his office if I had asked him to. As soon as I noticed she was having a problem, I called the vet. He told me that they call it a “garbage gut,” and it can happen when a dog gets into something they are not used to eating, as it may react with the acid in their stomach.

I was very lucky because her stomach never torsioned, but I was scared to death for her. What the vet suggested was to go to the local discount store and get a gas reliever. He told me to give her one dose, and another dose in two hour increments if needed. I was so worried; I packed Skye into my truck and took her with me. After getting the anti-gas medicine, I gave her one as soon as I got out to the truck. What followed were several hours of “green fog” in our house, but I am happy to say it solved the problem, and I got a taller gate that Skye couldn’t climb over to get to the litter boxes.

Some of the breeds that can be susceptible to bloat are Saint Bernard, Standard Poodle, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd, Wolfhound, Great Dane, Doberman Pinscher, English Sheepdog, Boxer, Bull Mastiff, Mastiff, Akita, Sight hounds, and Irish Setter. You can find a more complete list of susceptible dog breeds online.

I would never suggest that you just go get a gas reliever (because I am not a veterinarian), and your situation could be more serious than mine. I would, however, suggest that if this situation happens to you, call your vet as soon as possible or get your dog to an emergency clinic. Time is of the essence if you suspect your dog has bloat. You can also help by keeping any foods for other pets, any garbage containers and litter boxes out of reach of your own dog. By being vigilant on your own, your dog may never have to suffer like my poor girl did.

The personal opinions and/or use of trade, corporate or brand names, is for information and convenience only. Such use does not constitute an endorsement by CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods of any product or service. Opinions are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods.

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Disclaimer

The personal opinions and/or use of trade, firm, corporation or brand names, in this blog is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by CANIDAE® Natural Pet Food Company of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. All opinions in this blog are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® Natural Pet Food Company.